Dystopian exploration game Some Distant Memory from Way Down Deep and Galvanic Games is a hidden gem on Nintendo Switch. Find out why in our Some Distant Memory review!
Some Distant Memory is set 300 years after “The Collapse,” the apocalypse that ended the world. The game places you in the shoes of one Professor Zay. She is joined in this adventure by her companion ARORA, an AI that has the ability to recreate human memories from the relics it scans. It turns out that Zay is one of the few survivors left on the planet, which is why her work to recreate some of the memories from centuries ago is such an important endeavor. Will you help her and ARORA unravel the mysteries of the past?
Professor Zay has been looking for the Sunken City for the last decade. What is the Sunken City? Legend has it that it’s a place that has a bunch of old technology from Earth that was sealed away from all of the contamination in the surface, thus keeping it in pristine shape. Since ARORA can use this to reconstruct the memories of a civilization long gone, finding the Sunken City would be like winning the jackpot… which is why it’s very convenient when Zay falls down through the ground when searching one site in particular alongside Commander Ti, only to be sent on the right path towards the Sunken City.
You’ll move Professor Zay with the left analog stick or the D-Pad, examining things and interacting with the A button. The X button will be for opening up your map so that you can get a better idea of where you are and where you need to be going. The Y button is for scanning, and it’s by scanning that you will start to point you in the right direction by highlighting any items that you can check out. This will usually also lead you to take on the different puzzles that Some Distant Memory has to offer.
As you explore the locations that Some Distant Memory has to offer, you will need to make good use of your map so that you can check where the next point of interest might be. You can also review what areas have incomplete memories, which ones have complete memories, and which ones have memories you’ve already read with the help of ARORA. There will also be some handy marks on the map to let you know what areas have blocked entrances, as well as which ones are inaccessible.
Unlike other post-apocalyptic dystopian games you might have played over the years, in Some Distant Memory, there is no scavenging for supplies or battling against mutants or other hostile entities. Because of this, odds are that some of you are going to skip the game since the experience could be likened to that of some walking sims, but that would be a disservice to what Some Distant Memory has to offer. The game mixes some pop culture nods to franchises you know and love – without outright mentioning them – along with commentary on the issues with pollution in the environment and consumerism driving society to a breaking point.
Some Distant Memory is a charming post-apocalyptic dystopian gem that gives us a glimpse at how things could be in the not so distant – and the very, very distant – future if we don’t correct our course and start to take action against global warming and other issues in our planet. It’s a short adventure that you’ll be able to complete in a handful of hours, and they will be some very memorable hours. Some Distant Memory is out on Nintendo Switch for $12.99.
Disclaimer
This Some Distant Memory review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Galvanic Games.
